[Phatboing]

If you’re looking for a commuting machine at low cost, Planet X and On-one make some pretty decent frames at very excellent prices: http://www.planet-x-usa.com/i/q/FRPXKBD2/planet-x-kaffenback-2-frameset

[Phatboing]

@dkel 115918 wrote:

Falls Church: got a massive cheer from Bikenetic! It was the highlight of my morning (possibly because I know all those guys). The cones in the trail were a bit of a hazard, but it did get people to slow down. I was surprised at how many people seemed stunned or afraid going through that noisy gauntlet, or didn’t react at all. Whatever. I registered for that stop, so I got a shirt, but that’s it! I suppose I could have taken a banana, but I had packed one from home, since they are going bad, and I did pay for them. Disappointing on the swag scale.

That was awesome! So awesome that my brain went “I must roll through this like a celebrity!”.

Then I heard KayakCyndi complaining about my not stopping, and my brain went “oh yeah, I shoulda stopped. BUT YOU WERE CHEERING ME ON! Do the pros stop when cheered on by crazies with vuvuzelas? No. They revel in the attention, meet the quota of low-fives, and they soldier on. Stopping is just poor form.”

The Tysons pitstop was sad in terms of turnout, but we got us some lights, oranges, and granola bars, with plenty left over. There was also a really loud singer, singing into a really loud microphone attached to really loud speakers. Conversations were impossible, and we couldn’t hang out for more than a few.

[Phatboing]

@hozn 115774 wrote:

I used to think “ah, what difference is a centimeter gonna really make”.

This, sadly, is what happened to me with the Pompino. It has an ETT of 545. The bike it replaced was 525, too damn small. The Colossal, which came later, is 535, and is perfect. The Pompino fits well enough that I can ride it fixed without murdering myself, but even micro-adjustments make for a huge difference, and I can’t stop myself from the micro-adjustments, because I want it to fit like the Colossal.

(this is why I can never ever change anything on the Colossal that my body touches)

[Phatboing]

Ride the fixie a lot – until your back starts to get mildly sore. Then lay off, and ride a different bike while you’re waiting for the pain to end. Repeat.

Also, I have no idea if it’s helped me or if I’m just spontaneously developing the ability to handle my fixie’s aggressive position, but at work, I use an exercise ball for ‘active’ sitting – move around a lot, stretch my back over the thing, always making sure that my back’s straight. Then the back gets tired after a couple of hours, and I switch to the chair for the next hour or so.

[Phatboing]

There’s a ‘voluntary easement’ thingy from the WOD+Grove intersection straight to Giant that I’m very stoked about. Very. My contractually bound female human and I intend to be there tomorrow.

[Phatboing]

@hozn 115192 wrote:

there must be a compromise setup that makes this work

It’s the higher front end that makes it a comfortable resting position. When I was riding the Fargo from Pittsburgh, I spent many miles with my forearms resting on the handlebars, like leaning on a fence. Took a load off my back, even if I ended up with very sore forearms by the end. Then I got home, got aerobars for this purpose, and haven’t used them at all.

[Phatboing]

@Steve O 114935 wrote:

Speaking of helmets, I just received my second CaBi helmet yesterday. I renewed early at the (now expired) $75 rate. The $16 helmet is such a great bargain, I bought a second as a backup or guest helmet. It’s your basic bread-n-butter helmet, but at that price, why not stock up?

Do you randomly grow new heads?

[Phatboing]

@Phatboing 113260 wrote:

I’ve taken the FG on the “offroad” sidepaths on the WOD and enjoy it, and of course there were my fixie ice adventures (still the best use of my fixie so far, if you ask me), but yes, I intend to experiment with mild offroading—well, gravel and C&O sort of thing; I can barely keep myself alive on an SS while mountain biking—I’m thinking maybe 62-ish GIs with the Clement MSOs, switch back to 170mm cranks (from 172.5), and perhaps a sacrifice to some gods.

Well, an 18t cog has mysteriously found its way into my hands (is the story I’m sticking to) – a gravel fixie is about to occur! I can only hope that 64gi won’t cause kneesplosions.

[Phatboing]

@Greenbelt 114729 wrote:

More lives would be saved if car drivers and passengers wore helmets. And pedestrians.

I don’t see how wearing a pedestrian is productive, but maybe it’s my lack of imagination.

[Phatboing]

@GB 114662 wrote:

Question about interchangeable wheeles from my MTB to my hypothetical CX bike.

I have a MTB with disc brakes. I’m looking at a XC frame. What needs to be the same in order to swap my wheels out? I’m guessing disc size needs to be the same. I’m guessing that impacts caliper location. Does that impact disc brake mounts/frame?

If I have the best setup, what will I need to adjust when switching wheels?

If you were going to pick 1 disc size to go between MTB and CX what would it be?

Thanks

1. The disc size depends on the frame/fork design – my Colossal can take a 160mm disc on the fork, but only 140mm rear on ze frame.
2. Someone else will have to answer that – I have no idea. My guess is you shouldn’t have to adjust stuff if you’ve set up both bikes right.
3. 160mm. Stop good.

[Phatboing]

@Powerful Pete 114416 wrote:

Thanks phatboing – I was hoping for greater tire clearance for the 37mm studded tires I now have in preparation for BAFS 2016… my understanding is that the 32mm on the Colossal are a pretty tight fit, as per my conversation with Dirt.

His Colossal is the 2014 model, if I’m not mistaken, which had clearance for 28mm – they kicked that up this year. An if you want 37mm studded tires in there, definitely don’t try that on a Colossal.

[Phatboing]

@Powerful Pete 114402 wrote:

Thanks Hozn.

I misspoke – I am interested in going fast, but would like a relatively stable bike – so lower BB height and “longer” frame is interesting to me. That makes the likes of true cross bikes like the Stigmata a bit less interesting. What I have noticed is that I find I am doing less well with twitchy steering as I get older (no jokes please)… and in the winter I would also appreciate a lower… distance to fall on ice!

While you’re on Salsa’s site, I cannot say enough good things about the Colossal. It’s exactly what you describe. Not gravel technically, but the latest one does have clearance for 32mm tires, so you can gravel away regardless.

[Phatboing]

I know those mountains! GAP?

[Phatboing]

@DaDitka 114306 wrote:

Thanks for the replies everyone.

The Salsa Fargo ticks the right boxes too, but seems a little more trail oriented than I need. Also I couldn’t tell if it could take a rear rack.

Think trail-worthy, but everything-capable. Mine has been a regular ol’ commuter, tourer, gravel bike, mountain bike, ice bike, and trailer-hauler. It’s the kind of bike you ride with a stupid grin on your face.

It can take a rear rack, and unless they’ve changed the design, you don’t need a disc-specific one, either.

[Phatboing]

I’m torn. On the one hand, I’ve never seen a tornado and really want to. On the other, I don’t really want to be near one. Ever. Just near enough that I can see, I guess.

[Author]

Posts